Nominate a great volunteer for award

Published: Sunday, December 9, 2012 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, December 9, 2012 at 12:39 a.m.

It’s time to recognize an outstanding community volunteer leader with The Courier’s Most Useful Citizen Award.

The award is given to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to the Terrebonne Parish community and seeks to make it a better place to live.

“We’re looking for people who give freely to the community,” said Miles Forrest, publisher of The Courier and Daily Comet. “Ideally, the recipient will be someone who has given to the community for a long period of time and with lasting significance.”

The award is in its 67th year. Nominations are now being accepted. An anonymous panel will select the person being honored, and the announcement will be made during the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce’s 84th annual banquet, scheduled for 6-9 p.m. Jan. 22 at the Civic Center.

The announcement is a surprise to the honoree. No one, including the Most Useful Citizen, is ever given advance notification.

Past Most Useful Citizen Paul Labat, 61, said hearing his name called as the 2005 award recipient was flattering and an honor. But he also uses a more uncommon description — embarrassing.

“There were some other people that were nominated that have done so much good in the community,” Labat said. “I was embarrassed that I won before some other good people I’ve always looked up to.”

As Labat, former Parish Council clerk, approached the podium to accept the award, he admitted to being unprepared to deliver his acceptance speech.

“I didn’t know I was nominated. I went to the banquet as a date with the person who nominated me. They started naming organizations the person was involved with, and I was sitting there saying ‘Oh. I’m in that.’ Then they said the person was ‘born in Montegut’ and ‘the son of,’ and I heard my parents’ names and realized it was me,” Labat said.

Labat worked for the Terrebonne Parish government for three decades, serving in many positions that included council clerk, keeping the official record of Parish Council meetings and making sure policies and procedures were followed.

For decades and even since receiving the The Courier’s Most Useful Citizen Award, Labat has stayed involved with numerous boards and organizations including Le Petite Theatre, Leadership Terrebonne and the Terrebonne Historical and Cultural Society. He was active with United Way for two decades and was its board’s 2006 president. He has served on almost every committee associated with the United Way, including chairman of both the fund-distribution and the venture-grants selection committees.

Through his help, the United Way of South Louisiana’s annual campaign grew from about $100,000 to more than $1.6 million.

He was secretary of the Houma-Terrebonne Rotary Club and was involved in helping bring the first Habitat for Humanity house to Houma.

He also co-founded the Houma-Terrebonne Christmas Parade more than 20 years ago with his good friend Betty Reed, the mentor to whom he dedicated his Most Useful Citizen award.

“People from Montegut called me because they were so excited someone from down the bayou was being recognized. It was important to them, so I think this award is so important to the community,” Labat said. “It’s such a humbling experience. The person who receives this award must have the ability to do work but not for recognition. I think that’s most important. The person selected has done the work regardless of whether anyone says anything. You never see their name anywhere for recognition. These are people doing work for the good of community.”

Nominations must include the nominee’s name, address, occupation and employer as well as the nominating person’s name, address and phone number. A letter with a brief biography of the nominee and the reasons he or she is worthy of the award should be attached, as well as any documentation that would support the nominee’s volunteer work in the community.

The nominee must be a resident of Terrebonne Parish.

Mail nominations to The Courier, P.O. Box 2717, Houma, LA 70361.

Staff Writer Kris Johnson can be reached at 857-2207 or kris.johnson@houmatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter @krisLjo.

<p>It's time to recognize an outstanding community volunteer leader with The Courier's Most Useful Citizen Award. </p><p>The award is given to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to the Terrebonne Parish community and seeks to make it a better place to live.</p><p>“We're looking for people who give freely to the community,” said Miles Forrest, publisher of The Courier and Daily Comet. “Ideally, the recipient will be someone who has given to the community for a long period of time and with lasting significance.” </p><p>The award is in its 67th year. Nominations are now being accepted. An anonymous panel will select the person being honored, and the announcement will be made during the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce's 84th annual banquet, scheduled for 6-9 p.m. Jan. 22 at the Civic Center.</p><p>The announcement is a surprise to the honoree. No one, including the Most Useful Citizen, is ever given advance notification.</p><p>Past Most Useful Citizen Paul Labat, 61, said hearing his name called as the 2005 award recipient was flattering and an honor. But he also uses a more uncommon description — embarrassing. </p><p>“There were some other people that were nominated that have done so much good in the community,” Labat said. “I was embarrassed that I won before some other good people I've always looked up to.” </p><p>As Labat, former Parish Council clerk, approached the podium to accept the award, he admitted to being unprepared to deliver his acceptance speech.</p><p>“I didn't know I was nominated. I went to the banquet as a date with the person who nominated me. They started naming organizations the person was involved with, and I was sitting there saying 'Oh. I'm in that.' Then they said the person was 'born in Montegut' and 'the son of,' and I heard my parents' names and realized it was me,” Labat said. </p><p>Labat worked for the Terrebonne Parish government for three decades, serving in many positions that included council clerk, keeping the official record of Parish Council meetings and making sure policies and procedures were followed.</p><p>For decades and even since receiving the The Courier's Most Useful Citizen Award, Labat has stayed involved with numerous boards and organizations including Le Petite Theatre, Leadership Terrebonne and the Terrebonne Historical and Cultural Society. He was active with United Way for two decades and was its board's 2006 president. He has served on almost every committee associated with the United Way, including chairman of both the fund-distribution and the venture-grants selection committees.</p><p>Through his help, the United Way of South Louisiana's annual campaign grew from about $100,000 to more than $1.6 million.</p><p>He was secretary of the Houma-Terrebonne Rotary Club and was involved in helping bring the first Habitat for Humanity house to Houma.</p><p>He also co-founded the Houma-Terrebonne Christmas Parade more than 20 years ago with his good friend Betty Reed, the mentor to whom he dedicated his Most Useful Citizen award.</p><p>“People from Montegut called me because they were so excited someone from down the bayou was being recognized. It was important to them, so I think this award is so important to the community,” Labat said. “It's such a humbling experience. The person who receives this award must have the ability to do work but not for recognition. I think that's most important. The person selected has done the work regardless of whether anyone says anything. You never see their name anywhere for recognition. These are people doing work for the good of community.” </p><p>Nominations must include the nominee's name, address, occupation and employer as well as the nominating person's name, address and phone number. A letter with a brief biography of the nominee and the reasons he or she is worthy of the award should be attached, as well as any documentation that would support the nominee's volunteer work in the community.</p><p>The nominee must be a resident of Terrebonne Parish.</p><p>Mail nominations to The Courier, P.O. Box 2717, Houma, LA 70361.</p><p>Staff Writer Kris Johnson can be reached at 857-2207 or kris.johnson@houmatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter @krisLjo.</p>